bushnell



Aug. 20, 1929. c. s. BusHNELL' TRAIN CONTROL ACKNOWLEDGING CONTACTOR Filed March 16, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet Flel Aug- 20, 1929 c. s. /BusHNELL 1,725,729

TRAIN CONTROL ACKNOWLEDGING CONTACTOR Filed March 16, 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Frs. 3

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Patented Aug. 20, 1929.

UNETED STATES PATENT OFFICE..

CHARLES S. BUSHNLL, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL RAIL- i i WAY SIGNAL COMPANY, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

TRAIN CONTROL ACKNOWLEDGING CONTACTOR.

Application led March 16, 1926.

This invention relates to automatic train control and more particularly concerns a contacting l'device for use in connection with train control systems employing the acknowledging principle.

Incertain types of automatic'train control systems, it is 'deemed advisable to employ means which will enco-urage the engineer to maintain a sharp lookout for wayside signals and to recognize their indications. This is ordinarily accomplished by the use of some type of manually operable aclmowledging means, which, if operated before the train passes a signal displaying lan unfavorable indication, acts to suppress or nullify a brake applicatior, to substitute a low speed limit for an automatic'stopyor in Some other manner to relieve the engineerlof some annoyance or delay which would otherwise have been imposed. Since the acknowledging device acts when operated to suppress certain automatic-restrictions,.it is evident that'the engineer could readily avoid all such automatic restriction by holding, tying or otherwise maintaining the acknowledging device in its operated position, and the objectof providing an automatic control system-would be defeated. It has been therefore deemed necessary to provide means in connection with the acknowledging device for causing a further automatic restrictionor other penalty if the device is maintained in its operated position for more than a predetermined time interval.

1V ith the above and other 'considerations in mind, it is proposed in accordance With the present invention to provide an acknowledging contactor for automatic train control systems which acts to close certain contacts when operated, and which is provided with means for opening certain other contacts if the rst mentioned contacts have been maintained closed for more than a predetermined time interval. It is further proposed to provide a device of this type which is compact and rugged in construction, and in which the operating mechanism is completely enclosed in a casing'to prevent access thereto by unauthorized persons.

Other objects, advantages and characteristie features'oftheinvention will be pointed om'. or will become apparent as the description thereof progresses.

In describing the invention in detail, ref- Seral No. 95,104.

erence will be made to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 represents a side View of the acknowledging contactor comprising the present invention, a portion of the casing cover having been broken away to show 'the' mechanism;

Fig. 2 is a section taken along the line 2 2 of Fig. 1 and viewed in the directionof the arrows; and

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the-clockwork mechanism employed in the oontactor I of Fig. 1, certain of the parts being brokenv away and separated to show the interior construction. 1

Referring to the drawings, and more particularly to Fig. 1, the contacter mechanism of the present invention is enclosed within ;a casing 1 having a cover 2 hinged thereto by the adjustable eye bolts 3 and 4 which engage the projections 5 and 6 respectively onithe casing 1. A gasket 7 is providedrin a groove f at the edge` of the cover 2 to insure a weather proof closure, and the cover is secured in its closed position as shown by l.the nut 8 en The casing l is provided withtwo op.

positely disposed openings in its lower side walls, for the reception of conduit fittings carrying wires leading to theimechansm within the caslng, a conduit fitting` v15 being shown secured in one of these openings, and a plug 16 being shown in the other. back wall 17 of the casing l is is provided with three suitably disposed openings 18 for permitting the device to be secured toa support.

A mechanism frame 19 is secured within the casing 1 by means o-f the screwsl 20 passing through openings in the frame and engaging the integral posts 21 on the back wall 17 of the casing. The frame 19 is of general inverted U shape and is channeled as shown in Fig. 1, a strip or block 22 of insulating material being secured between The y :..been maintained operated for a predetermined time interval, two normally opened 'contactsand# one normally .closed contact have .been shown. Each set of contacts comprises tw0'-contact members whichV are fffhingedlyand resiliently :mounted on the insulating block 22. Each contact member comprises' ametallic Ibase portion 24 having a terminalscrew secured'thereto or integral therewith and an upwardly extending 'f'.'int'egal portion '26'vv carrying aapin 27 having an enlarged :hea-d. A -movable contact arm 28 is hinged-'to the base portion 24 as shown, and is provided withan.enlarged .opening 29 through which pin 27 passes. A spring `30-is llocated' on theI pin `27 being compressed between the enlarged head thereof and the arm2'8, thus\biasing the arm-28 against the portion 26 of the base 2 4.` @ne -o the two contactarlnsof each -set of contacts is pro- 'vid'edwith. a resilient metal-lic contact'. element' f31,1 while 'the-other -larm f'carries an adjustable,V contact= button 32 of refractory materialsuch' as'carboni iIn the arrangemen-tshown, thefs'et` of contacts designated A*as-'i4 are biased to their closed position, and

onelef fthecontact arms 'of thissetcarries an' upwardly projecting contact operating strip`-'33..," The sets of contacts designated B and C 'arenorrnally biasedto their open pothese sets'fareconnected lto move together by the bar 34 -of insulating material vwhich passesthroughan opening-35 'in o'ne of the arms 28 of the set/.B as shown in Fig. 2.

1 The righthand an'of the set of contacts designated' as C carries anupwardly projecting fopeiating :strip 36 as shown in Fig. 1. The termi'nal 'screws 25 on the base portions 24 of tlie`l contact. members pass through fopeningsin' the insulating block 22 as shown,

' shown.

andarep'rovided with'nuts 37 'for securely clamping the base/portions in place land for making the lnecessary electrical connections.

i'The mechanism frame 19 carries two integrally formed upwardly projecting par- 4ports 38 and 39.

ings 40 and 4lv and passes through an opening 44 in the cover 2, an operating handle 45 beine" secured to the square end 4G of the shaft 425 by the nut 47 which engages the screw threaded end 48 of the shaft and is locked in placc by the pin 49.

A contact operating crank member D is secured to the shaft 43 between the sup- This crank l) comprises a lz-ifurcaled member having two sleeve-like portions 50 and 51 connected by an angularly disposed yoke 52, and two downwardly extending crank arms 53 and 54 provided with aligned openings in their lower ends. r1`he sleeve-like portions 50 and 51 are provided with aligned openings through which the shaft 43 is passed, and are secured to turn with the shal'it by the pins 55 or other suitable means. A pin 56 passes through the aligned openings in the crank arms 53 and 54, and connects these arms to the enlarged head 57 of a contact operating rod 58, the opposite end of which rod is slidably supported in an opening in the integral downwardly projecting web 59 of the mechanism frame 19. A downwardly projecting arm Gt) is pinned or otherwise rigidly secured to the end of the rod 58 which projects through the web 59, the lower end of this arme() being provided with a contact operating member vG1 of insulating material which is positioned to engage the strip 3G when the rod 58 is moved to the left. A spring 62, compressed to an initial tension, is located on the rod 58 between the enlarged head 57 thereof and the web 59, this spring G2 serving to bias the rod 58 together with. the contact operating member G1, the crank member D, the shaft 43 and the operating handle 45 to their normal positions as shown.

From the description of the apparatus given thus far, it will be apparent that a mawement of the operating handle 45 to the right, or in a clock-wise direction, causes the rod 5S to move to t-he left against the pressure exerted by the spring 62, the insulating member (i1 on the arm 60 engaging the contact operating strip 36 and closing the contacts designated B and C. In order to limit the extent to which the normally opened contacts B and C may be compressed by the movement of the rod 58, a stop comprising an adjustable set screw 63 is provided in they frame 19, and arranged to be engaged by the free end of the rod 58 in its extreme operated position.

Considering now the operating mechanism for the normally close-d contacts A, a clockwork operated crank member E is journaled to turn freely on the shaft 43 between the sleeve-like portions 50 and 51, of the operating crank member D. The crank member E comprises a downwardly extending integral arm (54 provided with a tip 65 of insulating llt) material, an angularly disposed extension 66 carrying a stop screw 67, and an integral gear sector 68. The extension 66 is disposed to lie adjacent the yoke 52 of the operating crank D with the stop screw 67 in engagement with said yoke when the device is in its normal position as shown. The sector 68 is provided with gear teeth engaging a driving gear 69 of a retarded clockwork mechanism which acts to bias the crank member E to turn in a clockwise direction. The arm 64 is arranged to engage the contact operating strip 33 of the contacts A and to open these contacts when the crank E is moved to the eXtreme clockwise position.

The retarded clockwork mechanism, designated as a whole as K and shown in detail in Fig. 3, comprises two rectangular parallel side plates 7 0 rigidly connected together by the screws 71 and secured to the lugs 72 on the frame 19 by means of the screws 7S. A plurality of shafts 74, 75, 76, 77 and 78 are journaled in the side plates and carry a train of reduction gears. Secured to the shaft 74 are a driving gear 69 engaging the sector 68, a fiat coil spring 79 secured between the shaft 74 and one of the screws 71, and arranged to bias this shaft to turn in a counter clockwise direction, and a gear 80. The gear 8() engages a pinion 81 secured to the shaft 75, a ratchet wheel 82 is also secured to the shaft and is engaged by a spring pressed pawl 83, carried by a gear 84 which is free to turn on the shaft 75, the gear 84 is connected through the reduction gearing comprising a pinion 85, the gear 86, and the pinion 87 to an escapement wheel 88, the rotation of which is retarded in the well known manner by a pallet 89 having a pendulum and carried on the shaft 78. It is evident that the clockwork mechanism operates to move the sector 68 in a counter clockwise direction, the motion of the various parts being retarded by the escapement wheel 88 and the pallet 89, acting through the gear train, the direction of movement of the various gears in moving the sector 68 being indicated by the arrows. When the sector 68 is moved in a counter clockwise direction, the shaft 74 is turned in a clockwise direction to rewind the spring 79, the ratchet wheel 82 being moved in a counter clockwise direction past the pawl 83, and the remaining reduction gears, escapement wheel 88 and pallet 89 remaining stationary during this rcwinding process'.

The arrangement of the mechanism is such that the spring 62 on the rod 58 is strong enough to rewind the spring 79 of the clockwork mechanism, these springs bc ing connected through the rod 58, the operating crank I), the crank member E and the sector 68.

In operation, when the engineer wishes to close the contacts B and C in acknowledging wayside signal indications or other conditions, he moves the operating handle 45 to the right, turning the shaft 43 in a clockwise direction, compressing the spring 62 and closing the contacts B and C. As the operating crank member D is moved in a clockwise direction, the yoke 52 thereof disengages the stop screw 67 on the extension 66 of the crank member E, thus permitting the retarded clockwork mechanism K to move the crank member E, through the sector 68, in a clockwise direction, and moving the arm 64 to the left toward the contact operating' strip 38. In the normal operation of the device, this motion of the clockwork operated crank member E is slow enough so that the contacts B and C may be maintained closed for a time interval suflicient for acknowledging purposes before the arm 64 engages the contact operating strip 33. After the proper interval of acknowledgement, the engineer rel-ases the operating handle 45 which is returned to its normal position by the spring 62, acting through the crank member D, the yoke 52 of the member I) engaging the stop screw 67 of the member E and moving the member E in a counter clock- Wise direction until the head of the arm 60 on the rod 58 engages the web 59 of the frame 19. The return movement of the crank member E rewinds the spring 79 through the sector 68 and the driving gear 69 as described above.

If the engineer attempts to avoid an automatic restriction by tying, holding or otherwise maintaining the handle 45 in its operated or clockwise position, the clockwork mechanism K, acting through the crank member E for a predetermined time interval, moves the arm 64 to a position to open the contacts A, which are preferably included in a so-called penalt circuit, and suitable controls are operate upon the opening of these contacts to automatically restrict the progress of the vehicle or otherwise to penalize the engineer.

The time interval which elapses between the operation of the handle 45 and the opening of the contacts 33 may be conveniently adjusted or regulated by means of the stop screw 67 which governs theI initial position of the crank member E. If the screw 67 is turned to move the member E in a counter clockwise direction, the time interval is increased, and if the screw is backed off to permit the member E to move in a clockwise direction, the time interval is decreased.

It is evident from the description given that a simple and compact mechanism has been devised for accomplishing the well known acknowledging operation in train control systems. It should be particularly noted that the mechanism is entirely enclosed and may be locked or sealed to prevent access thereto by unauthorized persons and to house and protect the operating mechanism and the wiring connections. The device is conveniently constructed in compact form and can be mounted at any desired point in the locomotive cab. If desired, the casing 1 and the shaft 43 may be slightly altered to permit the attachment of the operating handle 45 on the opposite side of the casing from that shown in the drawings. It should be observed that the time element mechanism is automatic, that is, it need not be manually re-wound or returned to its initial position after operation. v si Although the acknowledgine contractor of the present invention has been described in a rather specific manner and in connection with a single specific embodiment, it should be understood that various changes and modifications in the design and construction of the device may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

lhat it is desired to secure by Letters Patent is l. An acknowledging contactor for automatic train control systems comprising a shaft, manual operating means for said shaft, operated means rigidly secured to said shaft for moving certain electrical contacts when said shaft is moved in one direction to its operated position, and power operated means carried by, and rotatable relatively to, said shaft for operating certain other electrical contacts if said shaft is maintained in its operated position for more than a predetermined time interval.

2. An acknowledging contactor for automatic train control systems comprising a pair of normally open contacts, a shaft, manually operable means fast on said shaft for closing said contacts when moved from its normal position to its operated position, a pair of normally closed contacts, clock-work means, including a member loose on said shaft, released by said manually operable means when moved from its normal position and acting to open said normally closed contacts if said manually operable means is maintained in its operated position for more than a predetermined. time interval, and spring means for returning said manually operable means to its normal position, said spring means also acting to rewind said clock work means while returning said manually operable means to its normal position.

3. An acknowledging contactor for automatic train control systems comprising manually operable means, acting when moved from the normal to the operated position to close certain contacts, power operated means released by said manually operable means when moved from said normal position and acting to open other electrical contacts if said manually operable means is maintained operated for more than a predetermined time interval, and adjustable means for adjusting the relative positions of said manually operable means and said power operated means when said manually operable means is in its normal position whereby said time interval may be adjusted.

4. An acknowledging contactor for automatic train control systems comprising a shaft, a handle and afixed crank on said shaft., a slidably mounted rod connected 'to said fixed crank and acting to close normally open contacts when said handle is moved to its operated position, spring means carried by said rod for returning said rod, said fixed crank and said handle to their normal positions, a crank movably mounted on said shaft, clock-work mechanism engaging said movable crank and acting to move said movable crank from its normal to its operated position in a predetermined time interval when said movable crank is released, normally closed contacts opened by said movable crank when in its operated position, and means on said xed crank for engaging said movable crank for moving said movable crank to and maintaining it in its normal position when said fixed crank is moved to and maintained in its normal position.

An acknowledging contactor for automaticy train control systems comprising a shaft, an operating handle and a fixed crank secured to said shaft, said fixed crank comprising two downwardly extending legs connected by a yoke, a rod connected to said downwardly extending legs of said fixed crank and acting to close normally open contacts when said shaft is moved to its operated position, spring means carried by said rod and biasing said shaft to its normal position, adjustable stop means for limiting the lnovement of said shaft, a movable crank on said shaft between the downwardly extending legs of said fixed crank, adjustable means on said movable crank engaging said yoke whereby said movable crank is maintained in its normal position by said fixed crank, and clock work means engaging said movable crank and acting to move said movable crank from its normal position to its operated position in a predetermined time interval when released by the movement of said yoke out of engagement with said adjustable means on said movable crank, said movable crank acting to open the normally closed contacts when in its operated position, said spring means acting to rewind said clock work mechanism when said shaft is returned to its normal position.

6. In an acknowledging contactor for automatic train control systems, a casing, a removable cover on said casing, means for maintaining said cover closed, a shaft passing through an opening in said cover, means within the casing rigidly secured to the shaft for operating certain electrical contacts When said shaft is moved in one direction to its operated position, power operated means Within the casing, movably carried b v said shaft, for operating certain other electrical contacts if said shaft is maintained in its operated position for more than a predetermined time interval, and an operating handle secured to said shaft and extending outside of said easing.

7. An acknowledging contacter for automatic train control systems comprising man ually operable means, acting when moved from the normal to the operated position to operate certain contacts, power operated means released by said manually operable means when moved from the normal position and acting to operate other electrical contacts if said manually operable means is maintained operated for more than a predetermined time interval, and means for adjusting the relative positions of said manually operable means and said power operated means.

In testimony whereof I alix mv signature.

CHARLES S. BUSNHN ELL. 

